Across and Down (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
by ilna
Summary: Steve and Catherine reminisce about the unfinished crossword puzzle in their memory box.


**Notes:** Mari and Sammy – There's a lot wrong with the world, but you two remind me what's right. Love you both! And thanks to SuperSammy for the title!

Readers and REAL McRollers – Thank you for your wonderful support! We truly do appreciate every word.

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _Across and Down (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)_

Steve opened the drawer of Catherine's dresser to put a stack of clean clothes inside. As he straightened, his eyes settled on the memory box and he smiled as he always did when seeing it.

He was still looking when Catherine came out of the bathroom a moment later. She smiled and joined him by the wall.

"Whatcha thinking about?" she asked.

He nodded at the unfinished crossword puzzle in the lower corner. "We should make a copy of that. Finish it sometime."

She tilted her head, looking at it. "I don't know … I kind of like that it's not finished. Every time I look at it I remember staying at that B&B with you … and I remember why it's not finished."

He looked at her, his smile widening slowly.

* * *

 _ **August 27, 2000**_

Steve returned to their room at the Boxwood Inn in Newport News with a folded piece of newspaper in his hand.

Catherine stepped out of the bathroom at the sound of the door, dressed in a t-shirt and cotton shorts and running a brush through her hair.

"What d'ya got there?" she asked.

"You mentioned wanting to do a certain something this weekend." He held out the paper and she took it.

She gasped as she unfolded it. "Where'd you get this?"

He smirked. "I think you've got an admirer down at the front desk."

"What?"

"The owner. I went down to ask him where was the nearest place I could buy a copy of the _New York Times_. He happens to have a subscription and when I mentioned you were hoping to do the crossword, he happily gave up the page."

"Oh, he's a sweet old man."

" _Very_ happily," he repeated meaningfully.

She smiled chidingly and looked back at the puzzle, remembering how she'd teased him about doing it while they danced at Carrie and John's wedding. Glancing up she said, "I believe what I said was I wanted to do it with you."

He held up a pencil he'd also procured from the front desk.

She smiled, touched.

He returned her smile, then lifted an eyebrow and asked, "You wanna make it interesting?"

Her own eyebrow quirked. "You're gonna turn doing the crossword puzzle into a competition, aren't you?"

"Hear me out," he said. "We take turns, you gotta do both the next Across and Down clue. If you don't get an answer or it's later proven wrong, you lose an article of clothing."

She snorted. "Strip crossword puzzle?" Chuckling, she added, "Don't need a clue to see where this is headed."

He grinned, obviously proud of his idea.

"The New York Times Crossword Puzzle is pretty tough, Steve," she warned.

"And we're pretty smart. What, you afraid I'll show you up?"

"Oh, don't even … alright, let's do it." She handed him the puzzle and settled on the bed, crossing her legs. "Just for that, you're up first."

Grinning, he got comfortable on the bed facing her and then looked at the first clue. " 'Michener best seller,' " he read. His brow furrowed. "Okay, this might be a little harder than I thought."

"Shirt first," she suggested with a grin.

"Hey, I didn't give up yet." He focused on the puzzle, thinking aloud. "Best seller, that probably means it's a book …" He closed his eyes. "Michener, Michener. That name is familiar." His eyes popped open suddenly. " _Hawaii_. We had that book, it was my grandmother's." He looked at the clue for 1-Down to see if it would work. "But that doesn't fit the Down clue, 'Fido's greeting.' " Twisting his lips, he paused to think some more. "I remember wondering if he'd written any other books about states, and he did." With a smile, he filled in 'Alaska.' "Which would make Fido's greeting, 'Arf.' " He looked up and smirked at her. "Sorry, Rollins, shirt's staying on."

"For now." She held out her hand for the pencil and puzzle. "Give it here. Okay, 7-Across: 'Federal loan agency.' "

He huffed. "Well, that's not fair. You're a poli sci major."

She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I know 7-Down is 'seacoal' so that makes 7-Across the Small Business Administration: SBA." She handed the puzzle and pencil back and looked at him expectantly.

"Show off," he teased. He read his next clue. "10-Across: 'Nolan Ryan, for one.' Must be a team then. Five letters, gotta be Astro." He winked at her as he filled it in. "Collecting baseball cards came in handy for something."

"Did you collect baseball cards?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah. I was kidding, though. Never had a Nolan Ryan." He laughed. "Mostly collected them so I could use them to play poker."

"What? As currency?"

He grinned. "Yeah."

"When you were a kid?"

He shrugged. "High school."

She smiled. "I guess that's better than gambling for money."

He nodded in acknowledgement of the point and she watched him smile at the memory, happy that his eyes didn't cloud over with sadness when he talked about his childhood.

After a minute, she said, "Alright, enough stalling, 10-Down."

He grinned, then read, " 'Five-star.' " His brow furrowed. "Five-star? All I can think is admirals and generals."

"How many letters?" she asked.

"Four. I mean, there was King …"

"Doesn't start with an A …" she said. "Unless you're wrong on the Astros."

"No, that's gotta be right." He stared at the puzzle, wracking his brain for an idea. After a full minute, he shook his head in defeat. Setting down the puzzle and pencil, he reached for the hem of his shirt and took it off.

She grinned, unabashedly looking him over. "I think that means I'm winning."

He dropped his shirt over the side of the bed and smirked. Handing her the puzzle and pencil, he said, "15-Across, Ensign."

She took it and read, " 'Where to do some bodywork?' Bodywork. Could mean a car … but only three letters so 'shop' doesn't fit …" She paused. "Bodywork …"

"Alright, let's even things up," he said, nodding at her t-shirt.

"Wait, wait, wait, give me a minute. The question mark means it's a play on words …" She bit her lip, thinking. He smiled as he watched. She grinned suddenly and straightened. "Bodywork. A spa."

"A spa?"

"A spa," she said, filling in the squares. "Massages. Manicures. Pedicures. Bodywork."

He lifted an eyebrow dubiously. "You mean girl stuff."

"Massages are great. Carrie and I went for our first one over Spring Break. That's not girl stuff. They're fabulous."

He shook his head. "You'd never see me getting a massage," he said adamantly.

She sighed, shaking her head. Turning back to the puzzle, she said, "Okay, 15-Down: 'Mediocre steamed dish?' " She winced. "Oh, it's long." She counted. "Twelve letters." She thought for a minute before shaking her head and putting the puzzle down.

Steve grinned as she pulled off her shirt, leaving her in a lacy blue bra. His eyebrows shot up, tongue running over his lower lip.

She smirked at his reaction. "You gonna be able to keep going there, McGarrett?"

"Don't you worry about me, Rollins." He reached over and brushed the hair that had fallen in front back over her shoulder, causing her breath to catch. He grinned and picked up puzzle and pencil. "Where are we? 18-Across: 'Get the red out?' Starts with R." His brow knit. "So something that … I don't know, gets a stain out …?"

Catherine's tongue poked out between her teeth and she rubbed her hands together in anticipation, nodding at his pants.

"Wait, wait, not a stain … you said the question mark means it's a play on words?"

"Yep."

"In accounting, negative numbers are red, so to get the red out, you've gotta …"

She nodded, seeing where he was going.

" 'Repay,' " he finished, filling in the squares.

"Nicely done," she admitted.

"And 2-Down is '_ Minor (a northern constellation).' Only three letters and the first two are L and E so, Leo."

"That's my astrological sign."

He glanced up. "Oh yeah?"

"Just barely. End of the date range. Means I'm … creative, generous, and …" she leaned forward, her smile sultry, "passionate."

His voice dropped an octave. "I can vouch for that." He raised an eyebrow. "You don't buy into all that, do you?"

She shook her head, smiling. "No. My Aunt Louise on the other hand …"

He laughed and handed her the puzzle. "You're up."

"Alright, 19-Across: 'National League division,' starts with E, easy, 'East.' "

"Not your favorite, I know."

"Central all the way. Go Cubs. Okay, 8-Down: 'Aromatherapeutic additives.' "

"Must go along with all that bodywork at the spa …" he observed wryly.

She smiled back, then her brow knit as she considered the clue. " 'Aromatherapeutic additives,' starts with B-A … aromatherapeutic, oh! 'Bath oils.' " She grinned at him. "Like the ones we used in the Jacuzzi last night …"

He waggled his eyebrows. "Those might get some more use before we leave." He took the puzzle and pencil back when she held them out. "21-Across: 'Limonite's pigment.' I … don't know what that is."

"That's makes two of us. Some kind of rock."

"11-Down is 'Autumn arrival,' starting with S … which doesn't really help."

She smirked. "You know what you gotta do then …"

"Keep your pants on …"

"I'm talking about your pants …"

He chuckled and focused back on the clue. " 'Autumn arrival,' something that comes in the autumn." He paused, thinking. "Wait … Leo ... horoscopes. What else is there? One in the fall, starts with S … Scorpio?" He penciled it in. "Fits. So back to 'Limonite's pigment,' second letter C? What the hell color has the second letter C?" Sighing, he put down the puzzle and unbuttoned his pants. He glancing up to see her waiting expectantly, then grinned and took off his watch instead.

"Oh, come on," she balked.

"What?" he protested, failing to hide his smile. "It's an article of clothing."

"It's an accessory."

"Men don't wear accessories."

She rolled her eyes. "Gimme that." Grinning, she took the puzzle and pencil. "22-Across: 'Legend on the ice.' 3 letters. Could be a figure skater …"

He looked at her skeptically, lip raised. "You know a lot of figure skaters?"

She glanced at him, shrugging noncommittally. Snapping suddenly, she said, "Or a hockey player. Bobby Orr." She wrote in the last name. "Okay, 16 Down: 'Branch managers?' " She sighed. "More word play. Branch managers … gotta have something to do with a tree … starts with P-R …"

He reached a hand for the drawstring on her cotton shorts but she smacked it away.

"I'm just helping you along," he said with a grin. "You don't know what it is."

"I do, too," she countered. " 'Pruners.' " She filled it in and showed him proudly.

He sighed, dropping his hand.

She smirked. "Your turn."

"Alright, 23 Across: 'Temporarily.' " He squinted, looking at the squares.

She scooted to his side and looked over his shoulder. He glanced at her, and she smiled innocently.

He looked back at the puzzle. " 'Temporarily' … F-O …" His voice trailed off as she kissed his shoulder, her hand sliding around to his stomach. He swallowed, running his tongue over his lower lip and looked straight forward. "That's really not fair, Rollins …"

"This is your game," she said, her voice low. "You didn't set any hands-off rules …" She continued kissing his shoulder, finding her way to his neck.

"Turnabout is fair play, you know?"

"Oh, I'm counting on it …"

He chuckled, but choked off when her fingertips tapped on his skin, moving down.

"What?" she asked. "Can't deal with a little … distraction?" Her fingers reached the undone button of his pants and he moaned, his eyes closing.

She smiled, sitting back. "Okay, I'll stop … for now."

"Mm, I didn't say stop." He turned and kissed her. Just as she started to deepen the kiss, he pulled away suddenly. " 'For now'!"

"Hmm?" she asked confused, blinking her eyes open.

" 'Temporarily.' 'For now.' "

She watched as he filled in the squares. "Ohh, that shouldn't count," she groaned.

"Serves you right for trying to distract me," he said with a smirk.

"You know, you really started it," she pointed out. He shrugged unconcernedly. Rolling her eyes, she nodded at the puzzle. "Finish your turn."

He grinned. "4-Down: 'Florida island.' 'Sanibel.' " He filled it in and handed the puzzle back over, waggling his eyebrows in anticipation. "My turn to distract."

"Bring it on," she said, grinning back.

"My pleasure." He adjusted his position on the bed and moved behind her. Stretching his legs out to either side of her, he leaned over her shoulder, brushing her hair aside and tracing the edge of her bra as she read the clue.

"Mm …" she began distractedly, "24-Across … 'Certain partner' … mmm …" She closed her eyes.

He grinned at her reaction to his touch. "I think that 'Abbr.' means it's an abbreviation."

"I know that. You … mmm …"

"What?" he echoed her earlier words into her ear. "Can't deal with a little … distraction?"

She turned her head and swiftly caught his lips with hers.

"Mmm … does this …" he said between kisses, "does this … mean I win …?"

"No …" She gave him a final kiss. "It means hold that thought." She turned back to the puzzle. 'Certain partner: Abbr.,' partner as in lawyer so 'Atty.' And 9-Down: 'Take a _ at,' 'A stab.' " She finished with a flourish and passed the puzzle and pencil back to him, smirking.

With a sigh, he took it. He leaned back on an elbow to read his next clue. "25-Across: 'They come on the 25th.' 25th of what?"

She looked back at him and shook her head. "I'm not helping this time."

He sighed again, looking at the Down clue to see if it would help. "12-Down: 'Churchill's "_ Finest Hour," 'Their.' " He filled it in and squinted at the Across clue again. "So, 'they come on the 25th,' O-E in the middle …"

She slipped over his leg, turning completely, and leaned down to run a finger from his navel to his chest. He couldn't help but smile in response, inhaling at her touch. As she traced the line back down to the undone button on his pants again, she quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Give up?"

He sighed and nodded. "Go ahead." Grinning, she started to pull down the zipper on his pants, but before she could do anything else, he continued, "Just remember, I have both socks on."

She stopped and laughed, turning to his feet. She gave a little groan and took one of his socks off. "This really isn't fair. You really think we'll make it past my next item of clothing to come off?"

"Guess you better not miss, then …"

She took the puzzle back. "26-Across: 'It may be tidy.' Ends with U-M, 'Sum.' 17-Down: 'Philip II dispatched it.' 'Armada.' " She handed the puzzle back, a hint of playful smugness in her expression.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Were you hustling me before? That was fast."

She grinned. "Just trying to get to the main event," she teased, her fingers tracing along his waistband, then shook her head. "But no, those two were just easy."

He looked at his next clue, still stretched out on his side. "27-Across: 'Ending with Juan' …" He studied what was filled in and said, "Ita?" He penciled it in. "Yeah, cause that makes 5-Down 'Kyoto,' 'Doshisha University locale.' "

"Talk about fast," she said, taking the puzzle back. "28 Across: ' "The Carpet-Bag," in "Moby Dick." ' " Her brow knit as she looked at the filled in squares. "C-H-A … oh, I get it. 'Chapter II.' "

"Impressive," he said, nodding.

"We read it in high school. Looooong unit." She returned to the puzzle. "13-Down: 'It may bring on a sigh' …"

He reached over, running a finger under the leg of her shorts and tracing along her inner thigh.

She closed her eyes for a moment, smiling. "Nice try, but it's 'relief.' "

He grinned and took the puzzle back. "30-Across: 'With 63-Down, a New Mexico county.' " He frowned and looked at the clue for 63-Down. He rolled his eyes. " 'See 30-Across.'" He shook his head. "No idea."

She grinned and took off his other sock. Slowly she trailed her hand up his leg over his pants. "Next miss, McGarrett …"

He squinted at the next clue. "30-Down: '20th-century tree painting?' " He tossed the puzzle and pencil down. "You might as well keep going," he said, rolling to his back and nodding down to where her hand was resting on his hip.

She smiled and he lifted his hips. He sucked in his breath as she purposely leaned over him to pull his pants down and off.

He swallowed hard. "You're up."

She glanced at his gray boxer briefs. "I'm not the only one."

He grinned back and stretched his arms behind his head to watch her.

"31-Across: 'Confectioner's goof?' " She groaned. "Oh, and it's long. Twelve letters. Something booboo …" She bit her lip, and his smile widened, his hand reaching for the drawstring on her shorts and pulling it loose.

"You give?" he asked, his voice low.

Catherine sighed and set the puzzle down. She looked at him deliberately, considering her options. Licking her lips, she reached behind her back for her bra clasp. The action caused her chest to jut forward, which in turn caused his eyes to darken and his breath to catch. She grinned at his reaction and lowered her hands to the waistband of her shorts, pulling at them slightly. He licked his lips, his eyes trained on her as he waited.

Finally she swung her legs out and wriggled out of her shorts, leaving her in lacy blue panties to match her bra.

"Mmm," he moaned, transfixed at the sight.

"It's your turn," she said, not even attempting to hide her smile.

He didn't respond, his eyes still locked on her.

"Steve?" she said.  
"Hmm?"

"Next clue?"

He met her eyes, holding her gaze for a beat before sitting up enough to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her flush against him. He kissed her deeply, all the while lifting her and shifting so she was on her back and he could cover her with his own body.

"I've got your next clue …" he murmured against her neck.

She gasped, breathless, running her hands up his back to pull him closer. "Hmm …?"

He raised himself up enough to look at her. "Possible reason for an R rating …" he said, and her hearty laughter rang out, bringing a broad smile to his face before he dove back down for another kiss.

* * *

"Okay, you're right, as always," Steve acknowledged, a happy smile on his face as he looked back at the memory box. "We'll leave it unfinished." He turned to her, his eyebrow lifting in challenge. "But next Sunday? Crossword puzzle. You and me."

Catherine grinned. "You're on."

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Notes:** Those clues are indeed from the August 27, 2000 New York Times Crossword Puzzle, accessed through their archive.

 _Keep track of all the REAL World stories on our Tumblr page - mcrollintherealworld dot tumblr dot com_

 _You can still join our mailing list by emailing us realmcroll at yahoo dot com with Add me, please! in the subject line._

 _And find Mari on Twitter asking your opinions on all things McRoll in the REAL World! at Mari21763 and add #REALMcRoller_


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